Any self-taught data analysts with no degree in here?

Question

Hey everyone,

I'm in a bit of a tough spot, and I could really use some advice and inspiration. I'm currently a university student, but I'm about to drop out soon due to my poor academic performance. Even if I wanted to stay in university, it would still take me 1.5 to 2 extra years to repeat the failed courses and complete them. And to be honest, I don't think I can perform any better at university anymore, as I've already given my best, and I'm tired of going to university to see nothing but failure.

I'm really interested in data analysis, and I'm thinking of teaching myself through online courses and resources. I was wondering if there are any other self-taught data analysts with no degree in here. If so, I'd love to hear about your journey and how you landed your current job. And if you have any tips or advice for someone like me who's just starting out, I'd really appreciate it!

Also, I'm thinking about starting a Discord server for self-taught data analysts with no degree as a way for us to connect, share resources, and network. If this is something you'd be interested in, let me know!

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

The odds of that working out for you is really low, but you go ahead and do what you want. Just by the way you phrased your question, I can tell you're looking for any excuse to do what you want to do.

Answer 2

Check the salary thread, you'll see multiple self-taught* DSs

Answer 3

Honestly, you're going to have a really hard time getting started.

Once you've got several years experience under your belt, it'll become easier. Especially if you have a track record of working for companies people recognise.

However, getting to that point will be hard. No interview process is comprehensive enough to ensure you have the  best candidate through careful testing. So we end up favouring people with great qualifications and experience as long as they do as well as you'd expect in an interview.   You will struggle in competition against people with degrees even if you do well in interview because they will too and then they win the tie breaker.

On the other hand, having worked at several universities across a few countries, pastoral support is often at working with you to find a solution to your difficulties. Maybe you could change degree to something data related?

Answer 4

I’ll give you my perspective.

I don’t consider degrees, especially undergraduate, that important in the profession, unless you are coming out a top tier school where you have been pushed to learn. That said, graduate degrees are much more important, because many more universities are going to push you.

Where the degree, in any field, is important, is to show your ability to work on long term projects and get to the end, regardless of the setbacks.

Few people are lucky. They have the resources, opportunities, brain, and luck to get a 4 years degree like it’s a walk in the park. Many others struggle, have setbacks, have to force themselves to get something done. It’s a test of character and grit.

Moreover, I’m more on the side of “you don’t choose your career, your career chooses you”. Sure, you can apply yourself and learn topics which are horribly hard for you, and that’s true grit… but is it a smart approach?

I give you an example, I wanted to be a professional classical pianist for so many years when I was a kid, I had a limited life outside studying and practice. I beaten myself up about it… I got a conservatory diploma while I was still a teen and started performing to realize one very important thing…. I was good, but not good enough. Didn’t matter how hard and how much I was studying and practicing, I just didn’t have it in me. Time to cut the losses and went for engineering. It was so much of a better fit, way less struggle, things were coming much more easily to me.

I kept playing the piano… and the revelation happened in my late 30s… at certain point, somehow, something in my brain clicked and I started hearing the things that I wasn’t able to hear when I was a teen and my instructors we’re pointing at. At the time I thought there were full of shit, I listened at my recording and heard they were right. I wasn’t able to hear certain details while playing, my brain was cancelling them or ignoring them… until it clicked and I started hearing them.

So… there was a good reason for me to not be a professional pianist, regardless of what I wanted. I let my career choose me. I did something that was coming easy to me.

A career exist to earn money, use money to do things you like.

Answer 5

There is a low probability to you get a job in data analysis without a degree. Is worth investing more 2 years and get your diploma and you won't have headaches in the future.

Answer 6

What was it about college that was a struggle for you and how will you overcome that when self-studying?

Answer 7

Either stay in college and repeat the courses, or go to trade school.

No, you cannot be a DS without a degree. Maybe a couple of people have made it and there are exceptions. But it's like saying some people have made it into Hollywood... how many haven't???

If you cannot pass college level courses, how are you going to teach yourself data science, statistics, and computer science exactly? Have you figured out why you are doing poorly in these courses? Have you done something about it?

Do you seriously think you can teach yourself enough to do something in less time than finishing this college degree?

You are also going to be competing against the same people who managed to pass the courses. How are you going to compete against those people for jobs and during interviews?